HEWORTH ARLC's youthful squad head into the new National Conference season a year older and a year wiser - and optimistic of a more fruitful campaign.

That was the verdict of club spokesman Ken Sykes, who did not make any pre-season boasts but reckoned the Villagers would be able to build on what proved to be a development year last season.

Heworth avoided the re-election zone for the first time in three years and will be looking to youngsters like Mike Welsh, Leigh Rientoul, Sean Coulson and Chris Varley, who has rejoined the club from York Acorn, to continue their own progress and that of the team.

In addition, powerful former York Wasps and Doncaster Dragons centre Gareth Lloyd has added welcome experience to the squad after signing from arch-rivals Acorn, and the side will be looking to him and the likes of club captain Dan Briggs and player-coach Chris Smith for leadership.

"It's a young team generally but they're a year older and hopefully, even though it was tough for some of them last year, that experience will have been good," said Sykes.

"We're reasonably optimistic that we will do better than last season. It will be tough but we've trained well and prepared pretty well, and the two friendlies went quite well in the sense we won them both and we showed some good signs, particularly from a defensive point of view where we seemed pretty sharp."

The arrival of ex-Great Britain star Paul Newlove to partner Smith, his former St Helens team-mate, in the coaching ranks also gives ground for optimism.

Said Sykes: "It's going really well - certainly, if as coaches they're anything like they were as players, then it should be pretty good.

"We've had good attendance at training and I think the lads are pretty fit."

Heworth kick off at home to Dudley Hill - unfortunately without the unavailable Briggs - and admit the visitors are an unknown quantity (kick off 2.30pm).

The Bradford side, who left the Conference to play summer rugby in LHF Healthplan National League Three, have now come back but it is not known which league will get priority while the seasons overlap.

"They're down to play St Albans in NL3 on Saturday as well and we don't know what side they will be bringing here," said Sykes. "I've no real gauge as to the strength of NL3 and we don't really know much about their playing strength.

"But we've played them in the Conference before, of course, and in the past we've had some pretty competitive matches, particularly in the early days when they were quite a force in the Conference."

Heworth A' begin their Yorkshire League division three campaign at Stanley Rangers A'.